Bringing the Studio Home: Fostering Socially Engaged Arts Education and Sustainability in Online Learning

This article explores the adaptation of arts education for online learning environments in Higher Education institutions, focusing on preserving the experiential nature and studio culture while addressing socially engaged arts education and sustainability topics. Using the “Arts-in-a-box” methodology developed within the Critical ARts Education for Sustainable Societies (CARE/SS) Erasmus+ European-funded project (2022–2024), two distance learning teacher training courses were analyzed qualitatively. The findings reveal that the methodology successfully recreated essential aspects of studio culture, fostering deep engagement, critical dialog, and creative inquiry in virtual settings. Participants reported transformative learning experiences, highlighting the methodology’s effectiveness in overcoming the experiential barriers in online arts education and promoting socially engaged arts for sustainable societies. The study identifies effective strategies for building community and enabling hands-on art-making in online environments, such as live workshops, curated art material packages, and digital tools for sharing and reflection. These strategies allowed participants to connect theory with practice meaningfully, promoting a sense of agency in applying socially engaged arts and sustainability themes in their professional contexts. By bridging the experiential gaps of online learning, this study offers a framework for educators seeking to adapt arts education to digital platforms while preserving its core pedagogical features and fostering societal impact.